Max Verstappen Joins Uncanny List of Champions All Because of Chaotic Japanese GP

‘You are the world champion! The World Champion! To hear Christian Horner saying these magical words is a dream come true for any Red Bull driver. However, Max Verstappen was deprived of this radio message this year. Due to the points confusion, the reigning world champion got to know about the title win during his parc ferme interview.

The Flying Dutchman came into the Japanese GP with a realistic chance of winding up the 2022 title. To win the championship, Max just had to win the race with the fastest lap point. The situation became increasingly complex after the heavy downpour before the start of the much anticipated Japanese GP.

We only got to see 28 laps of racing action before the time limit expired at Suzuka. This meant we had only reached half the distance. But, a quirk in F1’s regulations and a late penalty to Charles Leclerc handed Max Verstappen his second championship again under chaotic circumstances.

But Max isn’t the only one to have won the championship while being out of the car. F1 Journalist Chris Medland took to Twitter to point that out. He wrote, “Great point on a tweet from @paddock2go. The F1, F2, F3 and W Series championships this year were ALL won with the driver out of their car and not racing at that moment.”

“And in the case of British F4, with the champion racing in a totally different series!” Medland added. To which, Formula E champion, Stoffel Vandoorne, hilariously replied, “Guess I’m the only ‘normal’ one.”

Read More: Max Verstappen Takes Second Dramatic Championship as Confusing Rulebook Sends Fans in a Frenzy

Max Verstappen, even without the confusion, would have wrapped up the title sooner or later. In 2022, the Dutchman has been in a league of his own.

Christian Horner reveals the reason behind Max Verstappen’s robotic dominance

We all knew that Max Verstappen has always had the skillset. But the final pieces of the puzzle were still missing. Christian Horner believes that Max’s battle with Lewis Hamilton last year has helped him take his game to another level.

Red Bull’s Team Principal said, “I think last year was such a heavyweight bout between two champions, and I think having won the championship last year, it releases a lot. It just takes that pressure and expectation off his shoulders and he’s just gone out and smashed it out the park this year.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Max Verstappen: ‘Is my title tarnished? Not at all. I really deserved it’

Max Verstappen has 2 world championships to his name, 2 less than Red Bull’s most successful driver, Sebastian Vettel. Will he be able to break the record of the German Maestro?